toastmaster-magazine-2016

Gav. Arif Zahir
After a great deal of persuasion,
my friends managed to convince me to
join Toastmasters. Attending the club
meeting for 3 weeks till I became a
Gavilier wasn’t too hard either. I knew to
speak, the only problem was how?
As the time went by I learned
many things from the evaluators, who
mentioned about the good and the areas
that need improvement from what I said
at the lectern. However I learned the
most etiquettes of speaking by watching
fellow Gaviliers speaking. I used their
body language, pauses, and even their
ideas. I did become better, in fact a lot
better, but a piece was missing from this
Toastmasters puzzle.
One fine day, as I was memorizing my
international speech, it was so hard that
Successful with a style
I gave up and I just spoke on what I felt on the topic
that I had decided to speak on. The crowd was roaring
with cheers, my mentor was happy with my work, and I
won second place. And to be honest, I actually enjoyed
speaking up there. It was one of the amazing feelings I
had ever experienced. I had mastered an art of speaking.
Ever since that day, I started to speak with my heart
and my stage fear was destroyed. I loved getting a role
in every meeting. My way of speaking had improved, and
will continue to improve. Finding my own style enabled
me to speak like it was an everyday thing.
I have found my style, what’s yours?
“Without self confidence and courage,
one will lose twice in the race of life.”
-Marcus Garvey.
Leadership skills, self confidence,
Gav. Esala Kumarasingha
self esteem and courage, the four fold
ingredients that are necessary to become
a role model and an icon of greatness.
Toastmaster’s is a reputable, international
organization striving to bring out these
four fold ingredients in a person. As a
Gavelier, the Toastmasters’ gaveliers
initiative for children has enthused me to
develop these four fold ingredients within
me, projecting me into a higher status in
life.
My experiences with the Serendib
Gavel Club has been full of ups and downs.
I was initially introduced to the gavel club
by my father, also a former Toastmaster. It was a blurry
of faces, introductions and long, boring speeches. I hated
it. Soon, I despised it. But when it was my turn to speak,
I realized that the gavel club was much more than this
boring place. The members support you throughout your
ups and downs. It inspires me to strive and work hard and
entail my dreams and goals.
So now I write to all the readers of this article, you
must develop self confidence and self esteem to realize
your goals with the inner strength. This, my dear friends,
is what the Serendib Gavel Club is all about.
52 SERENDIB BREEZE